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The Smallness of a Giant

We shy away from small things.

Most people think we shy away from big things. We don't. No one gives up big opportunities or on "big" potential. People give up on small things.

In the Bible, the kingdom of God is compared to a tiny mustard seed. Though unbelievably small, it grows into the strongest of trees and provides shade for the birds. If the kingdom of God is compared to something this tiny, then you should be honored that your deepest desires look very tiny in the external world.

We constantly run away from our dreams because they are so tiny in comparison to how big we want them to be. We have no way of dealing with small outputs in relation to big expectations. It cripples us. It makes us tremble with fear in even thinking of how much of a failure we have become. We judge the smallness of the loaves and fish. Somewhere along the line, we forgot that the Creator loves the seeds - He takes extraordinary delight in the smallness of our dreams. He is magnified in growing things - in watering it - and making them blossom.

The first real song I wrote was called "At Night." To be honest, it's lyrically and musically pretty dope. Sometimes I dismiss my earlier work because I was so naive in the music business. I was so young and ridiculously silly in my aspirations. I thought I had the goods for the big stage. Maybe I did - maybe I didn't. But the funny thing is, that song strikes people in a very powerful way every time I decide to perform it live. I have masterpieces like "Listen/Oceans" that I know Chris Martin or Radiohead can't do. But the ones that hit people on impact was when I was small - smaller than I am now.

My record company, my brand, my everything - it was so small. It was so small that I can't even recognize who I was 5 years ago. Sometimes I tear up just thinking about driving 80 miles a day to record 2 verses, getting up early in the morning to write, writing half my record on Kaiser work time, convincing everybody I saw that I was going to make it, calling my credit card company and convincing them that I should be awarded more points so I could pay off my first CD. My first CD was so small. It was so tiny. It was so precious.

Something as tiny as a mustard seed can become big enough to provide shade for those dearest to me. It can open up doors for all my friends and family to do what they were born to do. What started as a thought in high school and UCLA has done so much for people - whether directly or indirectly. Something so incredibly small became bigger than me. Today, I feel like John Baptist Records and G-Vo are smaller than before - in the music industry, I am an ant - I am dust - I am a molecule. And I've never been more excited.

Here's a toast to the smallness of your visions - the smallness of your bank accounts - the smallness of your self-esteem - the smallness of your precious babies that you are so meticulously cultivating. Enjoy its smallness - soon and very soon - you will birth a giant - I will be toasting with you, and flicking off your demons at the same time. Peace, and much love to you - John Baptist!